http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3310450 Rockets owner Leslie Alexander always has been clear about spending. He would not blink at the cost of doing basketball business and especially would spend for stars, but he wouldn't pay the NBA's luxury tax if he could help it. Today, he can help it — and he just might. Facing the deadline to cut a player to take advantage of the NBA's new, one-time luxury-tax amnesty offer, the Rockets will weigh today whom they could cut to gain an extra roster spot and the tax savings. When Dikembe Mutombo signs this week, the Rockets will have 15 players signed and guaranteed to earn a combined $67 million. The luxury tax kicks in when player payrolls reach $61.7 million. To save that $5.3 million, the team could make a move today. Clarence Weatherspoon is due $6,353,200 next season, the most of any of the players out of the rotation last season. Though he still would be paid if released, it would represent a tax savings. Juwan Howard could be a surprising consideration. Howard, a starter and a key to the Rockets' best stretches of last season, is coming off a knee injury and a heart condition. Howard has been cleared to resume full workouts, but he is due $26,551,800 over the next four seasons. That would represent a great deal to pay a player not to play, particularly such a team-oriented veteran leader. But with the Rockets likely to be over the tax threshold for years after Yao Ming's expected contract extension begins with the 2006-07 season, that also would represent a considerable tax savings and bring flexibility after the deals for Yao, Tracy McGrady and Stromile Swift. Vin Baker, who like Weatherspoon is going into the last year of his contract, is due to make $3.85 million and would represent a less painful cut. Guards Charlie Ward and Moochie Norris also could be candidates, although neither would represent considerable tax savings. Both are headed into the last guaranteed season of a contract (the Rockets have a buyout option on Ward's deal in the 2006-07 season). The Rockets would prefer to use one of their many contracts headed into its last season to work a two-for-one deal with a team hoping to move a long-term contract. But those deals usually don't come until late in the offseason when teams run out of free-agent options. This season, with the extended moratorium and the tax-amnesty cuts, the market is still glutted with free agents. If the Rockets do create a roster spot, they could jump back into that market, especially if Michael Finley is cut by Dallas and would be interested in the Rockets' $1.67 million salary-cap exception. More likely, if they release a power forward, they could reach out to summer-league star Lonny Baxter. But first, they must decide how and if to maneuver today. jonathan feigen@chron.com
If Juwan is healthy enough to contribute and they cut him just to save $, that will suck donkey balls.
I don't think the Rockets are going to cut anyone. I think JH is pretty safe since he can still provide and that we might as well keep him if we are going to pay him. The rest of our bad contracts are expiring anyways. Expiring contracts like Spoon and Baker could come in handy when the trade deadline rolls around and teams are looking for them. There are bound to be a team or two wanting some expiring contracts, and could give up good players to do so.
I think they should cut Moochie, because he is unmovable. No team would trade for him, if we cut him we can get a roster spot, we can keep Howard, and we can trade spoon's expiring contract.
Technically, Cutting Vinny might be the "cheaper" and better option. I do not want to go into the mathematical details now but if you endeavour to do it yourself, you notice that curring either Spoon or Vinny will end up becoming a "wash" financially speaking. 67M - 3.85M = 63.15M 63.15M - 61.7M = 1.45M LT (without factoring the possible use of the BAE) ~ 1.45 X 2 = 2.90M i.e ~ 61.7M + 1.45M = 63.15M Or 67M - 6.3532M = 60.6468M **** 63.15M - 60.36468M = 2.5032M I know 2.5032M (which as it stands now is the difference between waving Spoon or Baker) is a big money, but it may not be that much worth it waiving Spoon instead of Baker. Spoon could be more valuable to us down the road while Vin Baker is, for all intents purposes, almost worthless to our cause - he is more than likely finished. Please correct me if my calculation is off but pending our use of the 1.67M BAE, this is the way the financial implication will break down. I do not foresee by a long shot that they will wave any other player especially Howard (unless if Vinny decides to do the right thing and retires on his own thus saving Les from paying him his full salary).
while they could just do nothing, i've been thinking for a while that Les would cut Spoon to completely get out of LT range this season, then we would use a couple of the expirings for a trade during the season, and then let the other two expirings just expire to give us a little breathing room the next offseason to maybe still use the MLE. i think that's the most effective way of avoiding the LT now and in the future w/o sacrificing talent and still possibly getting something out of these expiring contracts. not cutting spoon or using all of the contract in a trade would probably result in the LT at some point so i don't see that happening. and Fegwu, you added the 1.45M difference b/t our payroll and the LT limit back to the LT limit instead of our payroll. cutting baker takes us down to 63.15M and then you have to add the 1.45M to that to get 64.6M which is about a 4M difference b/t cutting spoon. that's a big hit to take, especially since we still have so many other expiring contracts to work with and the difference b/t the two is only 2.5M. with the looser trade rules (125% instead of 115%) it seems unlikely that having spoon's 6.3M w/ 4 other contracts versus baker's 3.8M w/ 4 other contracts will keep us from making a deal. or at least it would have to be a really specific dollar amount and a really picky trading partner to somehow keep us from doing it. so if Les is serious about not paying the LT, we'll cut spoon and go from there.
You guys are missing the most important point of the article. The Rockets would prefer to use one of their many contracts headed into its last season to work a two-for-one deal with a team hoping to move a long-term contract. But those deals usually don't come until late in the offseason when teams run out of free-agent options. This season, with the extended moratorium and the tax-amnesty cuts, the market is still glutted with free agents. Doc's 2 for 1, or more importantly the fact that Les would be willing to trade for a high dollar player. My fear was that they would simply allowing the expiring deals to expire.
Reasonably expected championship years come in 1-2 seasons later. it's highly doubtful howard could still contribute well 2 years later when rockets really need great flexibility then. I prefer to amnesty howard and work out a 2-for-1 trade involving spoon/baker. I'd not surprised at howard's cut, esp considering his long term contract with health condition , and ONE-TIME amnesty chance.
I say 'Spoon is gone by this afternoon. He's just making way too much money,in relation to what he provides off the bench. I honestly would like to see Baxter get a shot, that's if a trade doesn't somehow happen. Baker is a wild card, we all know he has/had skills, I wonder what he's got let in the tank? I love the idea of a two for one trade but i seriously doubt any team wants any of our scrubs ( i.e. Mooch, Ward, Wesley ) . Wesley while not a scrub is in my opinion, left out of the rotation at this point since we drafted Head. Just my 2 cents...
I'm guessing Baker, because Spoon's higher expiring dollar value could be more valuable come the trading deadline. Spoon would also be much more valuable should he actually have to play. Plus, that would put the Rockets barely over the LT and don't those teams get a small share of the LT pool money? Then it would be almost a wash, wouldn't it?
Unless we're over the LT from now to end of Howard's contract. Then you'd be paying double that 20 mil. The key is how do they see Howard fitting in/contributing in 2 or 3 years? Anyone for cutting Howard and picking up MoT if the Knicks amnesty waive him?
I second your opinion. Juwan is a great team player and an experienced although below average defender. His presence gives a lot of problem to to TD, who will be our biggest rivalry for years.
Except we have 3 or 4 expiring contracts that combined would safely get us below the threshold next summer. Howard isn't leaving. My prediction: Baker.
The Rockets are one of the most profitable "small market" teams in the league. I read somewhere on this board that Les made $35,000,000.00 last year. Les is not serious about a championship if he is crawfishing about 2-3 million dollars, when the Mavericks can save 51,000,000 by waiving Finley and are wavering about whether or not to do it. Les bought in to picking up $21,000,000 worth of bad contracts (less MJ) one way or another and now he won't spend the money to get some support for the top 3. If he is not pursuing a championship, fine just tell us so. Don't say you are and then start crawfishing on what it costs. Just say 'this is a business' and I am in it to make money and that is the way I plan to run the franchise.
So cutting Spoon, Baker or Moochie means Les doesn't want a Championship? Are these the "top 3" you speak of?
I am sorry, I think you misread the post or I did not make myself clear. Quite the opposite is true. Supporting the top 3 would include TMac, Yao and SS. Getting the support (1's and 2's) for them is what I was talking about.
